Hakuna Matata in Tanzania

After back to back 10 hour flights with a 5 hour layover in Heathrow, I finally arrived in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Immediately, post arrival, I stood in line with everyone else, passport and $100 in hand in order to get my visa. It was a pretty lengthy wait so patience hat was heavily utilized.. and then at last my name was called and got my passport back.. out to luggage and there was my bag waiting for me.. grabbed it.. tossed it over my back and out the gate to a throng of overwhelming strangers..one in particular stood out though.. after all he was holding a sign with my name on it.. instant comfort!


Mr. Taxi Driver took my bag from me and then off we went. My first impression of Tanzania was that it reminded me of China 30 some years ago when I was living there. Throngs of people walking in the village streets (except in China they were on bikes) and just the scene was a bit familiar. Drove through city traffic and a ferry later, I was dropped off at Kipepeo Camp where I would depart the next day with my group. Next day arrived, met my group, and one of the first couples I meet happen to be from San Francisco, small world! Off to Zanzibar we go!

 Our first night in Zanzibar was spent in Stonetown where there is a lively night market that take place every evening.. I did not get too adventurous though.. stuck with a nutella Zanzibar Pizza. After a night in Stonetown, we ventured north to Nungwi where we baked in the sun for a few days.

After our time in Zanzibar, we went back to Dar for one night before a 10-12 hour bus ride to Iringa where we stayed in a cute little campsite called, "The Old Farm House" where I would have my first hot shower in a week?

Tanzania as a whole is ...BIG! I learned that if you ask a man how many cows he has, he will take that as a sign of interest and proposal. Funny, I know. People here speak English but I have a tough time understanding them..for example.. in Zanzibar I was enjoying the sunset with my new friend Susi from Australia. The waiter comes and we have a whole conversation about the chips I ordered. He would say something...I'd nod.. repeat. He would walk away and I say to Susi.. I have no idea what he just said. Susi then translated the whole dialog for me- amazing and funny at the time. Hakuna Matata seems to be the moto of Tanzania. Two hours waiting for your food to come.. Hakuna Matata they would say. Looking lost... Hakuna Matata they would say. Of the 5-6 days I spent in Tanzania, I would say that the long bus ride from Dar to Iringa was one of the highlights for me. The scenery of the various villages, roads, and surroundings were all amazing. The kids along the side of the roads would run out and wave with big smiles on their faces and if you waved back, their smiles grew bigger!